Anti-Corruption Bureau of Latvia detained the head of the country's Central Bank

Monday, February 19, 2018 12:00:06 PM

The Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) has detained the President of the Bank of Latvia, Ilmārs Rimšēvičs, in a criminal case, as reported by Delfi, citing the Prime Minister of the Republic, Māris Kučinskis.

"For now, neither I nor any other officials have any reason to interfere with the work of KNAB. The authority operates professionally and accurately. As soon as the KNAB's management deems appropriate to provide the public with information about the investigation, it will do so immediately," said the head of the government.

The Prime Minister added that on Monday, February 19th, the Cabinet of Ministers will hold an emergency meeting on this issue.

On Friday, February 16th, the Anti-Corruption Bureau raided Rimšēvičs home and office. Rimšēvičs himself was not in Latvia at the time. He returned to the country on the evening of Saturday, February 17th, and drove to the bureau’s offices in his own car, but left on Sunday night in a KNAB vehicle.